


Not Another Second

by Schalakitty, wickedorin



Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Fluff, Multi, Polyamory, weapons-grade sap
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-21
Updated: 2017-04-21
Packaged: 2018-10-21 04:27:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,414
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10677675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Schalakitty/pseuds/Schalakitty, https://archiveofourown.org/users/wickedorin/pseuds/wickedorin
Summary: “It’s a promise.  I don’t even know… what the promise is, exactly, but it’s… everything.  To all of you.  Tous.”





	Not Another Second

**Author's Note:**

> Way back before FFXV was released, this was a drabble fill for FFXV Appreciation Week 2 on Tumblr. Noctis and Prompto written by me, Ignis and Gladiolus written by Schala. We are apparently the most ridiculous polyship saps who ever sapped a polyship and we are not sorry.

It _smelled_ nice, the prince noted.  Different at night; cooler and quieter with a subtle, sweet scent that he couldn’t identify.  Flowers, maybe.  It wasn’t really all that important at the moment, peering up at the stars as they drove, the Regalia’s top down and allowing the cool breeze wash over them.  The inn was still a ways away; _civilization_ was still a ways, it seemed… and everyone had gone silent some time ago, probably to let him sleep. Noctis didn’t actually _feel_ like sleeping, at first to enjoy the night and then…  "Ignis?“  He could tell that, regardless of how soft his voice was, he’d probably managed to slightly startle all of them.  "Could you pull over up here? Please?”  No explanation, heart starting to hammer in his chest. Not a second longer.  He just couldn’t wait.

Glancing back through the rear view mirror, he met the prince’s eyes for just a moment. Ignis planned to comply regardless, but something in those flickering eyes had his hands already shifting. “But of course, Highness,” he answered, finding a convenient rest stop after a few minutes more. Not far from a lakeside, it was little more than a strip of parking spots and deserted public restroom. Not unlike many other such spots they passed along the highways every day.

“Gotta stretch your legs?” Gladio murmured, leaning back enough to face the two younger members in the back seat. Not that he was particularly worried one way or another - a little break from the endless roll of pavement under the wheels sounded refreshing.

“Not feeling sick, are you?”  Prompto lightly prodded. Not like any of them had eaten anything unusual, but… well, he thought he’d ask anyway.

There was a subtle smile on Noctis’ face as the car rolled to a stop, the questions, the eyes on him… and for a moment, all he could do was look at his own hands folded in his lap.  There wasn’t a single reason to feel nervous, anxious.  He wasn’t even sure that was what caused his heartbeat to speed up, supposing it could easily have been anticipation…  Taking a deep breath, he just stopped questioning it.  Not a second longer.  "Actually, I was sort of hoping to stay here for a few minutes at least.“  Still without an explanation, he turned to reach for one of the bags they carried with them.

Sliding the driver seat back a bit, Ignis turned to watch for a moment. Only illuminated by the moonlight and the dashboard lights, he couldn’t make out the exact details of the prince’s search. But the light sheen of several small items caught his interest, though he remained silent for the moment.

Gladio on the other hand, had no such reservations and asked directly, "What are those, Noct?”

He wasn’t ready for a verbal answer.  He heard Prompto’s breath taken to ask his own question, but managed to find the right box in time, placing it in the blond’s hand and silencing him.  "They’re… just hold them for a minute, okay?“  The laugh was soft, nervous but light, Noctis handing very specific boxes to Gladiolus, then Ignis.  Utterly nondescript other than small, glossy black cubes, he held onto his own for a moment.  Allowed silence.  Swallowing, he nodded to himself.  "I didn’t want to wait.”  It was a poor beginning, he supposed, but words were never really his thing.  "I know we’re… in the middle of something.  In the middle of a _lot_ of things, and… there’s uncertainty.“  He dared a glance up, all eyes on him.  Strangely enough, it _helped_ a little.  "But I had to… had to let you all know.  That what’s really important is always going to be the same.  No matter what happens.”

“Noct?” Ignis’ voice was almost whisper soft, but all the more reverent for it. The prince’s name sounded far more precious on his tongue than his title ever did in that moment as he closely held on to his box. For something so light, it suddenly felt far weightier in his hand.

Gladio remained silent as he traced around the edge of the box, listening close to the words. Focused wholly on the prince, he waited to see where the moment was going. And if his instincts on it were correct.

Prompto… was just that sort of excited kind of nervous that couldn’t be hidden.  "Noct, kinda worrying us here, buddy.  If there’s a toe in here or something…“

The prince actually _laughed_ , giving the blond’s shoulder a shove.  "It’s not a _toe_.”  He assured, getting a soft laugh out of Prompto as well.  "It’s…“  Staring down at his own box again, Noctis struggled to give it a definition, for a moment.  Then it just sort of came to him all at once.  "It’s a promise.  I don’t even know… what the promise is, exactly, but it’s… everything.  To all of you.  To _us_.”  Trailing off again a bit, he shook his head.  Too _many_ words.  "Just… open them, alright?  Please?“

Flipping the lid open first, Gladio blinked… and then simply smiled. He didn’t remove the ring just yet, but instead simply ran his finger over the surface. Black tungsten edged with silver, polished to a mirror finish and perfectly smooth under his thumb. "You know what this looks like, Noct,” he commented with a bit of wry humor.

Ignis’ ring was a matching companion to Gladio’s, only the size adjusted for his thinner fingers. True, it hardly compared to exquisitely carved and detailed jewelry of the Royal Family, but in that moment… the simple piece felt just as _precious_. Simply because it came from _Noctis_. “Are you _sure_? There’s still…” And he lets the facts of the matter fall to the wayside for the moment. There might not even be a _Lucis_ to return to by the time their journey’s over, let alone a _wedding_ to worry about.

With slightly trembling fingers, Prompto opened his own box; the worry over a toe had only been a joke, but what he was pretty sure might be inside was…  It was more surprising, in a way.  Less, in another.  Cupping the box in both hands, just _staring_ at the ring, letting the reality of the situation sink in, he was awestruck. Words were things that he definitely did not have a good handle on at the moment.  "Um.  Wow.“

There was a quiet laugh given to all of their reactions before Noctis opened his own box, retrieving the ring inside and letting his fingers smooth over the surface.  "Yeah.”  He answered everyone.  "It doesn’t _matter_ what happens.  How far we go, where we wind up.  Or how we get there.  I want you all by my side.“  Funny how easy that was for him to say when he so very much needed them to know.

Expression melting into softness and warmth, Ignis spared only a moment to slide off his gloves. His acceptance came as he slid the ring on, letting it settle against his pulse. "You have us, Noct,” he promised, as he so easily promised so _much_ to his prince. Reaching out, he rested his hand on one knee as a show of solidarity.

Not far behind, the bodyguard slipped his own ring into place with a fond grin. “Every step of the way,” Gladiolus offered in kind, adding his hand on top of the advisers. Both born and raised to serve, yes, but this was something that extended beyond merely their roles…

It wasn’t that the gunner _disagreed_ at all.  There was nothing in the world (or _beyond_ it, he was pretty sure) that would get him to reject that promise.  It was just… so much.  So much in the _good_ way.  Looking up at Noctis, taking note of the hopefulness in the prince’s eyes, Prompto grinned as he finally slid his own ring on.  Well, they did certainly match with the Lucian ensembles.  Placing his hand lightly at first on Gladio’s, the pressure became more certain with his words.  "Wild chocobos couldn’t take us away.“

With another little snort, Noctis placed his own ring beside his father’s, listening to that delicate, almost silent click as they came to rest next to one another.   _That_ … that was… _right_. His own hand found its place atop everyone else’s, the smile _felt_ deeply.  "I won’t let go.  W-warning you right now.”  And maybe there was a suspicious glint to his eyes, but that most definitely wasn’t for sadness.


End file.
